About Fireside Publishing House

Fireside Publishing House produces the Leaders & Legacies series on Canada’s Prime Ministers as teens. History and learning are delivered with action, mystery and adventure.

Young Prime Ministers’ Series

Book One in this historical fiction series is The Mystery of the Moonlight Murder: An Early Adventure of John Diefenbaker. This book’s subject matter involves reconstruction of the Canadian west 100 years ago and captures many of the events, real people and the way they lived their lives. The book accurately depicts the grand themes of the time, from immigration patterns and challenges, to law enforcement with the early RCMP, to lifestyles. It also foreshadows John Diefenbaker’s life. It’s sold out in print, but still available as an e-book here.

In Book Two, The Legends of Lake on the Mountain: An Early Adventure of John A. Macdonald, the setting is Prince Edward County, Ontario. Macdonald stars in a quest to unearth the truth about two famous legends – that there might be treasure left in a cave on Lake on the Mountain and that the lake itself is haunted. It also features a foreword by former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. The book accurately depicts Upper Canada in 1828, including the key themes of the time, from the Loyalists, to challenges with American manifest destiny, to responsible government. It also foreshadows John A. Macdonald’s life to come.

In Book Three, Showdown at Border Town: An Early Adventure of Paul Martin, the setting is the Colchester-Windsor area of Ontario, circa 1950. A 12-year-old Martin looks to solve the mystery of his vanished friend, a First Nations boy who was staying at the Martin cottage for the summer. This book has a special emphasis on First Nations’ peoples and issues and is delivered in an adventure format. The adventure story foreshadows Paul Martin’s life.

In Book Four, The Hero of Hopewell Hill: An Early Adventure of Richard Bennett, we move to Canada’s east coast along the shores of the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick. The time is 1883, and Canada is only 16 years old. A 13-year-old Richard Bennett goes up against fearsome Fenian invaders intent on capturing the capital, Fredericton. The book accurately depicts the struggles Richard had with his father and captures both the real challenges occasionally faced by Canada from Fenian incursions. The awesome Hopewell Rocks serve as the backdrop in this gripping novel as a young Richard Bennett’s life is foreshadowed.

In Book Five, The Wail of the Wendigo: An Early Adventure of Pierre Trudeau, a teenaged Pierre Trudeau heads from his home in Montreal to the stunning backdrop of the Yukon and Northwest Territories where his father is considering a gold claim. This book showcases Dawson City, Yukon in 1931 and the wilds of the Northwest Territories. For the first time in the series, other famous people are brought into the book, too, such as Canada’s great author and nationalist, Pierre Berton, who actually lived there during this time, and famed pilot Wilfred May. The adventure book sheds a light on the great Klondike Gold Rush and also touches on First Nations’ issues through the character of Henni, the young girl who helps Trudeau and Berton. As always with our young prime minister books, the life of the main protagonist is foreshadowed.

All books in the young prime ministers’ series come with a handy reference guide at the back to outline real-life connections for the reader, teachers and parents.